Controversy could lead to new format for the weekend festivities

As people enjoy a weekend that celebrates the birth of our nation, some say this may mark the beginning of change for First Weekends in Plattsburgh.

"If it impacts some business negatively they should be sensitive to that," said Koffee Kat owner Patty Waldron.

A war of words has erupted between Tim McCormick, one of the organizers of First Weekend, and Plattsburgh Mayor Jim Calnon.

The event, held on the first weekend of every month, calls for certain downtown roads like City Hall Place, to be closed to everyone but pedestrians.

The mayor and several city councilors say the closures hurt some businesses and that the event needs to be staged at various locations. That is proving to be a bone of contention between McCormick and the mayor.

Calnon released an email exchange between the two where Calnon states:

"... I went to you on June 16th, to tell you 'closing City Hall Place is killing downtown.' Your first and only reaction was 'Have you also discussed this with Mayor's Cup and Battle of Plattsburgh.'

"You did not then, nor do you now, care about any other resident, business, traveler, or employee in downtown."

Calnon then calls for McCormick's removal as a liaison between the First Weekends organization and the city. The mayor, again in an email exchange his office released, goes on to state:

"... effective July 7th, all City employees will be directed to ignore any verbal or written requests that come from you."

Toward the end of his email Calnon states:

"Despite your flagrant disrespect and refusal to actually communicate I remain a supporter of First Weekends, and wish to see if it will blossom to its full potential."

WPTZ wanted to talk to McCormick, but he was busy helping with the parade Friday. Business owners say they support First Weekends and encourage people to come enjoy it, but say leaving downtown roads open to traffic could be a good change.

"That will enable other businesses to have music in front of their storefronts and get everybody used to having fun on different sites without necessarily blocking traffic," said Waldron.

DEPARTMENT. " A STORM OF WORDS TONIGHT BETWEEN LEADERSHIP IN THE LAKE CITY AND THE HEAD OF THE LOCAL "FIRST WEEKENDS" EVENT. THE EMAIL EXCHANGES HAVE BEEN HEATED... AND UNFORGIVING. WPTZ'S DAVID SCHNEIDER IS LIVE IN THE STUDIO WITH THE STORY, DAVID? GEORGE, THE BIGGEST STICKING POINT IS WHETHER OR NOT TO CLOSE CERTAIN DOWNTOWN STREETS FOR FIRST WEEKENDS. THE CITY DOESN'T WANT TO HURT BUSINESSES THAT RELY ON PEOPLE DRIVING BY .. BUT THAT WOULD MEAN CHANGING THE WAY THEY DO THE EVENT. nat AS PEOPLE ENJOY A WEEKEND THAT CELEBRATES THE BIRTH OF OUR NATION... SOME SAY THIS MAY MARK THE BEGINNING OF CHANGE FOR FIRST WEEKENDS IN PLATTSBURGH. "Patty Waldron, OWNER, KOFFEE KAT "if it impacts some business negatively they should be sensitive to that. " A WAR OF WORDS HAS ERUPTED BETWEEN TIM MCORMICK, ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS OF FIRST WEEKENDS AND PLATTSBURGH MAYOR JIM CALNON. THE EVENT - HELD ON THE FIRST WEEKEND OF EVERY MONTH -- CALLS FOR CERTAIN DOWNTOWN ROADS, LIKE CITY HALL PLACE, TO BE CLOSED TO EVERYONE BUT PEDESTRIANS. THE MAYOR AND SEVERAL CITY COUNCILORS SAY THE CLOSURES HURT SOME BUSINESSES AND THAT THE EVENT NEEDS TO BE STAGED AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS. THAT IS PROVING TO BE A BONE OF CONTENTION BETWEEN MCCORMICK AND THE MAYOR. CALNON RELEASED AN EMAIL EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE TWO WHERE CALNON STATES: 1st fs "...I went to you on June 16th, to tell you "closing City Hall Place is killing downtown." Your first and only reaction was "Have you also discussed this with Mayor's Cup and Battle of Plattsburgh." change fs You did not then, nor do you now, care about any other resident, business, traveler, or employee in downtown." CALNON THEN CALLS FOR MCCORMICK'S REMOVAL AS A LIASON BETWEEN THE "FIRST WEEKENDS" ORGNAIZATION AND THE CITY. THE MAYOR -- AGAIN IN AN EMAIL EXCHANGE HIS OFFICE RELEASED -- GOES ON TO STATE: 3rd fullscreen "... effective July 7th, all City employees will be directed to ignore any verbal or written requests that come from you." TOWARDS THE END OF HIS EMAIL CALNON STATES -- fourth fs "Despite your flagrant disrespect and refusal to actually communicate I remain a supporter of First Weekends, and wish to see if it will blossom to its full potential. WE WANTED TO TALK TO McCORMICK, BUT HE WAS BUSY HELPING WITH THE PARADE. BUSINESS- OWNERS SUPPORT THE EVENT -- BUT SAY LETTING TRAFFIC DOWNTOWN COULD BE A GOOD CHANGE. Patty Waldron, OWNER, KOFFEE KAT "That will enable other businesses to have music in front of their storefronts and get everybody used to having fun on different sites without necessarily blocking traffic." IN THAT EMAIL EXCHANGE, THE MAYOR DID OFFER AN OLIVE BRANCH TO THE BOARD OF FIRST WEEKENDS... HE SAID HE WOULD MEET WITH THAT BOARD, AFTER HOURS IF NEEDED, DURING THE WORK WEEK. WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED. NEW APARTMENTS